August 24th, 2010
Page 390
Comics for August 24, 2010 - Page 390
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August 25th, 2010 at 1:06 am
The book- tell them about the book.
August 25th, 2010 at 1:10 am
v.v is the only way to express for what I feel for mentl…awesome job Jed, you hit home good with this piece of story telling art.
August 25th, 2010 at 1:12 am
roooooock ooooon this story is so awesome. Why is the queen’s face green though?
Moox
August 25th, 2010 at 1:15 am
They still haven’t considered banning him from music for a while…
August 25th, 2010 at 1:22 am
Of course not, since they apparently have no idea how his magic works-didn’t you “hear” Karna? Mentl’s kind of magic is completely NEW to Erogenia, they’ve never seen it’s like before. So, yeah, they have no strategies in mind as yet for dealing with it, hence Karna’s suggestion to Mentl to “GO AWAY, and TAKE YOUR NEW-FANGLED MAGIC WITH YOU!”
August 25th, 2010 at 1:23 am
Banning him from music? Wouldn’t that be like cutting off one of his limbs?
Karna is harsh, and a bit impulsive. It’s good to have differing viewpoints, but I think she’s pushing hers a little too aggressively. What she’s suggesting is essentially what the queen just said they wouldn’t do - exiling Mentl.
But yeah, tell them about the book. Ask for instruction to control his power. That would be smart. And Mentl has been rather smart up to now.
August 25th, 2010 at 1:24 am
The old priestess lost a bit too many points with me there. She apologised, but it was too little, too late. There is a difference between doing your job and treating humans as sacrificable pawns — especially when these humans are not volunteers sworn to you but ‘obstacles and hazards.’
By the way, that ‘alien power’ only saved Zona’s life at least two or three times by now. And I am talking about Mentl here, not his magic.
August 25th, 2010 at 1:28 am
I’m willing to bet that’s the crux of their problem with Mentl-THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW HIS MAGIC WORKS. So of course they don’t know if Zona’s ensorcelled or not, or how to deal with it if she is. And Mentl’s just as clueless as they are, which obviously worries them even more.
Yeah, Vito’s counsel is most definitely needed here. Hopefully the next page involves him putting in an appearance, otherwise they’ll all be stumbling in the dark for some time to come.
August 25th, 2010 at 1:32 am
Suggesting they look at Mentl’s book is a good idea, providing they can read it. As I recall, both Mentl and Tula’s attempts to do so haven’t been very successful…
August 25th, 2010 at 2:36 am
Each comic, I’m liking Ipola more and more. As for Karna, what I see is naked fear. I don’t like that, but I can understand it. Their Big Bad is back, and she wants to make it all go away.
August 25th, 2010 at 2:57 am
The gut reaction seems to be “if you don’t understand it, make it go away” and the only reason the “make it go away” part isn’t “kill it” is because of what Karna knows of Mentl’s history.
Mentl has done nothing but benefit the moon tribe even IF HE HAS ENCHANTED ZONA. The worse case scenario is an offense to Zona’s personal cha. If Karna wasn’t so ready to jump to conclusions she may see that whatever there is about Mentl’s magic it is something that could/should be an enormous resource for the moon tribe.
I think now is the best time for everyone to take a time out, calm down and really REALLY think through the situation.
A quick check list:
1. is Mentl a threat to Zona?
2. is Mentl a threat to the moon tribe?
3. How to determine if Zona has been enchanted against her will.
4. IF mentl’s magic has enchanted Zona what to do about it.
Only after they have answers for these PRELIMINARY questions should any action be taken…
August 25th, 2010 at 3:00 am
is it thursday yet?
August 25th, 2010 at 3:06 am
Mentl might point out that his magic worked in a realm in which Tula’s magic could not, even as kickass as she is — and saved their collective ass. Being powerless against the Big Bad is not a good thing — having powers that work is the vital issue — just what the powers are becomes very secondary. It would be a good time for Vito to show up with some choice comments — I think another voice in this would help sort out a lot.
August 25th, 2010 at 5:30 am
No you guys and gals all miss the point. What are Zona and Tula going to do when they find out what there mother and the priest have done with out consulting with them.
They will both flip. And Zona will probably get violent. I am betting that she and her mother go at it verbally with many things thrown around, then she goes out and picks a big fight while Tula Consults the Old Man Ghost.
August 25th, 2010 at 5:35 am
I pity the fool that gives her an excuse after she finds out. And if it is a tavern where it happens get ready for the tavern brawl of the century.
August 25th, 2010 at 5:42 am
I concur that A resend talk needs to be had Fairness demands it.
Oh an as to Why is the queen’s face green? its the reflected light from her Snake skin poncho!
August 25th, 2010 at 6:45 am
The fact that his new brand of magic has appeared just as there old enemy is resurfacing is a valid point, and not one that is not helped by the fact that his magic worked in an area where only the old enemy’s magic was SUPPOSED to. That said, I suspect mentioning TWO giants might also help, as it is further evidence that the world is preparing for a BIG confrontation and stacking its deck to the best of its means.
And yes. Show them the book. Mentl and Tula were not just unable to make any sense of the book… Tula specifically said “Show it to Karna, and maybe even the high priest.”
August 25th, 2010 at 6:46 am
OK, I rest my case. Karna needs to step down and be replaced, if not immediately then certainly ASAP. She has committed 3 offenses that would alone lead me to think she might need replacing, but together they guarantee it:
1) She not only assumed the worst about Mentl, someone who not only was responsible for saving Zona’s life, but was also officially made a friend of the Tribe, but she came straight out and accused him of it with ZERO proof thereof. Her job may be to play Devil’s Advocate, but there’s a difference between asking the hard questions and seeing what answers can be found and accusing someone of something Just In Case It’s True.
2) Even after Ipola has come out and directly said that he had done nothing intentionally wrong, and that she neither could nor would take harsh action against him, Korna’s first instinct is to tell him to permanently go away. Beyond that, she tells him to do it using his own Magick, the same Magick that she KNOWS he doesn’t have good control of, using a method that’s apparently very dangerous.
3) Thus far, the various Erogenian tribes may have their suspicions and their prejudices, but Xenophobia does NOT seem to be one of them This goes double for the Moon Tribe, who seem to be some of the most level-headed and unbigoted tribes out there. Korna, OTOH, is acting totally paranoid about Mentl’s Magick, to the point where she’s lashing out at it so irrationally that it takes a Royal Command to stop her (and there’s no doubt in my mind that Ipola’s ‘Stop It’ was said with the full weight of her position as Queen, and not just as a peer in the conversation).
Ipola and the High Priest both seem to recognize that no matter what Mentl might have done, there was never any malice or intent to put a spell on Zona, and thus nothing that can’t be resolved. Plus, the High Priest seems to understand something that I’m not sure even Ipola did (but we know Tula has) - Mentl’s cha is interwoven with Zona’s, and thus the tribe’s, and banishing him would cause unknown damage to them, possibly much worse than anything that currently exists.
I almost wish you waited until you had the whole story thread finished before posting,just because the suspense is killing me. Of course, that would probably be worse than getting a page every few days, and everyone else would kill me for suggesting it, so just ignore the first sentence of this paragraph.
August 25th, 2010 at 7:20 am
Now that Mentl is crippled (in several ways), I think we just wait a few more comics for Mentl to have it broken to him that the solution is training. Which entails separation from Zona. Hmmm, since it has been said that M&Z are much closer bonded than Copper, to the point where Silver could be considered (exclusive to each other).
Now, that would mean a six month separation plus a spirit walk for each.
Train montage time for Mentl, the respective spirit walks (which if they do, might result in a “fated to walk together” message. All kinds of ways to do “six months later” with a comic per character (or written text and picture).
August 25th, 2010 at 7:20 am
Eh, malice or not, you don’t let a kid run around with a loaded pistol.
Just as Mentl is doing his level best to do the right thing, I’ve no doubt Karna is doing the same, at least until I have evidence to the contrary.
August 25th, 2010 at 7:42 am
Yep, typical “experts”. Don´t understand it, get rid of it.
Can´t wait for the rest, as always.
August 25th, 2010 at 7:56 am
I suspect Mentl needs a hug right about now. But he can’t have one!
August 25th, 2010 at 8:59 am
Yes, lets banish the enormous magic power that apparently loves our champion just when the dark evil god of our past as trying to make his comeback and kill us all….
So, uhmm, what side are you on again?
Where is Tula? She had a little talk with Vito, someone needs to get her in there too. Then more info will get into the queens hands.
August 25th, 2010 at 9:30 am
Nice comic JD. Keep up the good work man.
August 25th, 2010 at 9:48 am
loving the story development! I don’t know where we’re headed next but I am glad it’s already Wednesday when I saw this!
August 25th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Offsides: I think your being harsh on Karna. I see this as, well, not quite a trial, but more a semi formal hearing to see if a trial is necessary. Someone has to be the Prosecutor and whether it’s because she’s naturally inclined that way or because the Queen appointed her to the role, she’s doing her job.
And I don’t think you seperate Mentl from his magic without killing or psychically crippling him, especially since it’s magic they’re unfamiliar with.
August 25th, 2010 at 10:11 am
Well, I hope that fairly soon the discussion will get around to the fact (which is known to some people in the comic other than Vito) that Mentl is there because his powers are needed. And that he needs to be trained to control those powers.
Also, if talking about Mentl like he’s not there is rude, shouldn’t someone be talking to Zona about this?
August 25th, 2010 at 10:13 am
Thus Ipola shows why she is a ruler, being more compassionate, smarter, intuitive and wiser than both of her ‘advisors’. Of course this is possibly why they are also in this postion i.e. they play the ‘good cop/bad cop’ or are the yin and yang on issues of great import for the Queen. Karna’s position does seem to be a bit extreme though. Here you have a major war brewing, possibly similar to one of our ‘world wars’, with great (evil) powers stirring. Then you get someone dropped into your laps who has, potentially, the equivalent power of a nuclear bomb. Now this person has shown nothing but honesty, good intentions and a great concern over his possible misuse of his power and you want to GET RID of him? !!! Also while his type of magik is not unknown (per Tula) the source of his power is unprecidented and a mystery. Hurf! I see two major courses of acton.
1. Mentl needs to undergo a bit of OJT by the local Magikers to find out the extent of his power and to extend his control over it. Although he seems to have done ‘okay’ on his own up to now I should think some professional help is called for.
2. A crash R&D effort must be undertaken to determine the source of Mentl’s magik and it’s possible effects/reprecussion on the world.
Heh as always JED keeps us all guessing. Kudos!
August 25th, 2010 at 11:14 am
@Kamatsu, I had not even thought of that! I am sure you hit the nail on the head. I was wondering how they would pull off the 6 months apart to become silver bound, when they did not seem willing to spend hours apart… But a need to wean her off the enchantments to see what is real, and a need for him to receive training is PERFECT!
The only worry/down side is that they are supposed to have been walking bronze for a year before they are allowed to try for silver…. and i do not believe that Mentl has been IN this demention for a year yet.
August 25th, 2010 at 11:24 am
See? I told you the nasty old bitch with the saggy tits was evil!
August 25th, 2010 at 11:44 am
Haha rapidly expanding comments.
Seems like it’s about time for Mentl to explain about his music, the book, etc etc…
Moox
August 25th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Something tells me that if the argument between the Priest and Priestess went on a little longer, Priestess might have gotten turned over a knee and spanked with Priest’s rod. Trying to do the right thing doesn’t allow you to be an asshole.
That said, yes, Training is probably the only thing that would help. Solution, Train him! Problem….he has alien magic. They don’t know jack and shit about it, and jack left town. Only Vito can probably train him…And that’s probably unlikely to happen. So….
I agree, only thing he can do right now is show the book and see what could happen. That’s about it. Every other option has way too many opportunities for disaster, and while he may have to gamble at some point, it isn’t good to gamble everything on double sixes, not when he doesn’t have to yet.
August 25th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Muahahaha….
All is going according to my sinister plan.
Ahh … I mean, what a nice discussion y’all are having!
A couple of things: Ipola, Serrin and Karna already know about The Book. It’s actually another alarmingly powerful factor, and so far neither of them has been able to figure it out. It’s actually been several days since the big party, and discussions have been taking place. They know about Vito, too, and though Tula was always their brightest and most promising and powerful pupil, they still have decades more experience and know more about these things than she does, and have their own take on it.
Zona’s not here now because they wanted to have this preliminary interview with Mentl alone. They plan on having a discussion with her pretty much immediately afterward, and don’t think Ipola isn’t looking forward to *that* one.
And it tickles me to have made a character that people can get riled up about. That is so tremendously rewarding! I hope that I can have the new page up tomorrow night, but I also have a lotsa other things I’m working on Zona-related, so we’ll see.
August 25th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
I think you succeed very well as far as I am concerned about Karna…
I still think she’s a bit “extreme” but, there’s lots of explanation. Once could be: if everybody around her is so enthrall about Mentl, could it be that he had charmed everyone? She could be affraid of that too… What would YOU think if everybody around you like the same person? Too nice to be true?
Well, I just wanted to thank you. I begin this comics by cheer luck and now I can’t stop reading it. I must admit I’m not happy about this development for I love the relation between Zona and Mentl, but yeah…. I was always asking myself if she was reacting to his song or not…
Nicely done Master JED.
PS: hope you will excuse any mistakes, I’m not an english speaking person.
August 25th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
You´re an ebil teaserish man!
Love it!
August 25th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
BTW I wish there would be a way to watch this comic with only your comments visible under it.
You reveal SO much awesome backstory to the panels, it´s almost impossibl to “JUST” reread the comic without missing out on too much.
August 25th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
I think you could look at the Priestess’ position as similar to heads of Intelligence in our world — basically it’s their job to be professional paranoids and pessimists. They look at capabilities first - anyone with the capability to kick your ass is a threat — regardless of intentions. Bad intentions certainly raise the threat level, but there is always some level of threat assigned. In Mentl’s case, I think their lack of understanding leaves them extremely nervous — is an antimatter bomb less dangerous or more dangerous if it thinks it’s a coffee table?
August 25th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
hahahahahahahaha! coffee table.
August 25th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
@tricksterson: Even if we assume this is the equivalent of a Grand Jury, the Prosecutor’s job is to present evidence, not accuse the defendant of things for which there is no real evidence to the point of slander. I may think you’re incorrect, and it’s perfectly reasonable for me to say “I think that tricksterson is incorrect”, but it’s not reasonable for me to say “tricksterson is a dirty stinking liar, and he should be banned from making comments because he’s an idiot.” (And for the record, I’m NOT saying that at all, just trying to illustrate the point - while I disagree, I have no objection to your saying what you said :))
If this was actually a trial, and Karna was the prosecutor, she’d be facing sanctions for prosecutorial misconduct IMHO, and that’s what I’m objecting to. She may have a job to do, but I don’t think she’s doing it very appropriately…
@JEDraft - to me, the mark of a good author is creating characters the readers love; the mark of a great author is creating characters that the readers hate. Well done!
August 25th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Yay, Queen! Put ‘em in their place, I sez!
August 25th, 2010 at 11:54 pm
There could be an anti-matter coffee table…
August 26th, 2010 at 12:23 am
Would an anti-matter coffee table come with cream and sugar? And if its anti matter how could you put anything on top?
I like the idea of a month long or longer break during which Zona isn’t exposed to magic and Mentl gets some training, even if it isn’t for the silver path it may be the best approach. Questions get answered and the wild magic gets tamed, at least in theory, plus it gives everyone a chance to think about the situation before jumping to conclusions. The only problem is I don’t think there is time for that right now. Remember the greenies are massing along the border and have been meddling in local politics, I doubt they plan to sit and make camp for a few months before making serious trouble.
August 26th, 2010 at 1:25 am
@JEDraft “Zona’s not here now because they wanted to have this preliminary interview with Mentl alone. They plan on having a discussion with her pretty much immediately afterward, and don’t think Ipola isn’t looking forward to *that* one. ”
Heh heh heh. I DARE Karna to imply that Mentl turned Zona into a puppet love-slave with Zona in the room to hear it. I wonder, will Karna still be conscious or even breathing afterward?
August 26th, 2010 at 1:36 am
@Doc Alaska I more or less took that as a given until JED threw cold water on it. But, given his current state, I expected Mentl himself to stop the sisters cold.
August 26th, 2010 at 8:21 am
The humanity of the characters is the glue keeping my interest here. Great work!
August 26th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Poor Mentl. *pat, pat* It’s not nice talking about someone like they aren’t there. He really want to help and do the right thing, so they should help him do the right thing.
August 26th, 2010 at 11:39 am
@Wolf, I’m stretching it a bit from memory. JED would have to confirm, but IIRC, the pair bonding system being overseen by the priests does allow couples to “skip” steps and time requirements on a case by case basis, even though Tula’s explanation doesn’t allow such “skipping”.
Note that she seems to be talking to preteens (body hasn’t changed) so that she is giving the straight interpretation of the rules. Works that way for us too. You are speeding, cop pulls you over, the “rules” say that you get a ticket, but the cop has the authority in his official capacity to judge if you can be let off with a warning.
The upgrade from Copper to Bronze can come “after a while” on Copper, so I think we can agree that that would be a no brainer as far as the current state of M&Z (discounting the magic). Especially with repeated comments about “sharing” not being a good idea for the two of them. Sooo, where are we at?
1) Zona has been unduly influenced by Mentl’s magic to have feelings for him that she wouldn’t have developed.
OOPS! Big problem for everyone. It would probably kill Mentl, although it does have the interesting possibility that Mentl and Zona could stay friends and the relationship between Mentl and Tula could blossom. That would be an odd twist, but as long as the storyline is centered around the trio (and maybe a few more companions adding in), we get a classic love triangle setup.
2) Zona has been influenced by Mentl’s magic but only to the point of speeding up the relationship. IOW, if there was no magic and no pressure, they would have eventually stepped that way eventually, but it might have taken several years.
No big deal here, several different ways to play it. You could get a milder variation of the love triangle above, especially if either Mentl or Zona (or both) want to “cool it off to be sure” for a while. Time of extra flirty between Tula and Mentl, with or without consummation.
3) No influence from Mentl’s magic beyond icebreaker (Zona would have dismissed him from thought as a partner). No problem there, Zona has just fallen harder than she ever has before and Mentl’s magic just turns her on extra (quicker than a couple of drinks and dancing at the club, but there you are).
Easiest one in some ways (although we can get plenty of drama during a six month separation, or whatever bit of that it takes for Mentl to be trained enough to do the next mission with more control). I think about six months could be reasonable since they trio just ripped the head enemy a new one and potentially killed some of his key henchmen that he has to replace.
4) This one is a sneaky thought. Mentl did influence Zona unintentionally, but he also influenced himself by putting himself into the songs he was singing for her (not just love songs, look at page 280). So now there is no way to separate them, because they are too closely bound together and balanced. Now both of them are stuck in it.
NOTE: This assumes that Zona would have had some strong feelings for Mentl anyway, at least Copper Path or close, which means that it isn’t against her will, just a bit more than she would have probably let it develop into “naturally”.
Mentl will get to go all angsty on us and Zona will whap him upside the head in her practical manner and explain that now that it is this way, she doesn’t want to change it and it is all good. Especially if his magic is also weaving them into the force to counter a returning god of evil…
Heh, I still think that the Gallery picture “LegGrabber” is going to happen at some point, at least the sentiment behind it.
Heh, as long as I’m being chatty, with all this power Mentl has under wraps, Zona’s “too much male spirit” problem could probably go away after they handle this little issue in front of them. Oh, more fun to think about.
August 26th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
I think we’re forgotting something… Well more, someone… JED is a master (yes yes.. not exagerating :op) so why were we presented with Rannik if for nothing? There was even an early allusion to him I think (I can’t remember the page)… I think there is something there… I just don’t know what…. *sigh*
August 26th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Rannik is the ex, it seems he was the guy who everyone thought might be the one, but it looks like he and Zona were over before Mentl even came on the scene. And it looked like Rannik accepted that at the dance (albeit reluctantly).
BUT, when it comes out that there’s doubt about how real Zona’s feelings for Mentl are, maybe Rannik could come to think he has another shot? Hmm, interesting dramatic possibilities there…
August 26th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
…especially since we don’t even know if Rannik and Mentl have talked yet…
August 27th, 2010 at 1:24 am
Methinks the solution here is to suggest he find a song that functions as a Dispel potion.